Wednesday, 27 April 2011

I love the connectivity that occurs between bloggers, don't you?
Two months ago I joined like minded, book reading bloggers for the monthly What We're Reading linky party and have added quite a few more titles to my TBR list since then.

LindyLouMac paid Normandy Life a visit after reading my review of Fall On Your Knees by Ann-Marie MacDonald last week.

I repaid the compliment by visiting her blog (as you do!) and there I discovered another book linky party that really appealed to me:

It caught my eye because I recently read and enjoyed "Summer School" by Domenica de Rosa, I'll be reviewing the book soon, and linking it to the Challenge, in May.

There are a few other books on my shelves that will fit this challenge too and I know that I'll find plenty more next week when I'll be visiting the revered and hallowed "Book Town" of Hay on Wye in Herefordshire, UK.

Tuesday, 19 April 2011

This month the What We're Reading gathering is being hosted by Bonnie @ The Boatwright Family blog.
If like me you love to read and are always looking for good book recommendatiions then this is a place you should check out too.
Last week I received a parcel from my dear blogger friend Pondside.
In it were two books which she thought I would enjoy reading.
Fall On You Knees and The Way the Crow Flies by Canadian author Ann-Marie MacDonald.
Fall On You Knees became an International Bestseller shortly after it was published in 1997, winning The Commonwealth Prize For Best First Fiction, The CAA Harlequin Literary Award for Fiction and the Dartmouth Award.
It was also shortlisted for several other prestigious awards, including the British Orange Prize for Best Novel by a woman writer. Oprah Winfrey picked it for her Book Club.
The question I’m asking myself is……………how did I not know about this book before receiving it from Pondside?
Fall On Your Knees is undoubtedly THE best book that I have read in many a long year, and I do read a lot of books.
I literally devoured this book, inhaling every page, and spent three afternoons when I could have been working in the potager, cooking, cleaning or blogging, reading this towering epic of a novel. (Mr B said I hadn’t been this quiet in ages!)
The story is a familiar one…………… a family.
Its secrets, its memories and its history.
Sisters, fathers, mothers, children.
Each character has a story to tell.
Some of them begin with such promise that you can’t bear it when their journey is cut short, either through their own destructive behaviour or that of a family member.
Others overcome adversity to find love, shelter and safety elsewhere, at least for a while.
Set in the Cape Breton town of New Waterford the compelling saga begins at the closing of the 19th century with James Piper, his Lebanese wife Materia and their daughters.
First born Kathleen, destined to become a world famous Opera singer.
Mercedes - never without her opal rosary and devoted to her sister, Frances.
Frances - who knew she was the bad Piper sister even at five years of age.
The journey ends in NYC in the 1960’s with the last of the Piper girls - Lily.
The San Francisco Chronicle describes Fall On Your Knees as…"An old fashioned epic full of plot twists. The story leaps gracefully across generations, national borders, and cultural standards regarding race, class and sexual orientation”.
The London Times review had this to say………….."The uniqueness of MacDonald’s voice, and of her approach, lies in her ability to distill."
All I can add is that if you don’t read any other book this year, you have to read Fall On Your Knees!

Sunday, 17 April 2011

Flowers are Red
Click here for a beautiful, moving poem
about red flowers.
Joining Mary at the little red house
for
Mosaic Monday.
Wishing you all a wonderful week!

P.S.

Blondie has asked me what the names of the flowers are,

so...........

the top two pix are of a red rhododendron that I rescued from the reduced (dying plants!) section at the garden centre a few years ago, the bottom right is a pieris plant also from the garden centre, (full price!) and the bottom left is a flowering quince bush that was here in the garden when we bought the house.﻿

Friday, 8 April 2011

For about a week now our ISP has been playing fast and loose with our internet connection.
For many hours each day, and during the night too for all I know, we have been incommunicado.
You never know what you've got 'till it's gone!

The cows came home to the field next door.

So, whilst the internet gods are smiling down on me here are some of the things that have been happening around the Presbytère this week.

Fleurs first trip to the beach.

Flowers and trees blossomed.

Retail therapy at the garden centre

I've already begun to plant out some of the above seedlings in the kitchen garden at the back of the house.

This year I'm trying my hand at brassicas, (cauliflower, cabbage and broccoli) for the first time, also shallots, chinese leaf and kale.

Friday, 1 April 2011

Yesterday Mr B brought me these wonderful tulips back from the market and so I thought I'd share them with Liz over at Rose Vignettes for Fresh Cut Friday and also with The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sundays.

About Me

Home is a 16th/18th century former Presbytery situated in a tiny village, surrounded by beautiful Normandy countryside.
I share it with my lovely husband and best friend of over 37 years, and M'selle Fleur our gorgeous German Shepherd.